Aspen tree named &#39;DANCING FLAME&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of quaking or trembling aspen named ‘Dancing Flame’ that is characterized by orange to red leaf coloration in the fall-season, an upright branching habit, and disease resistance to  Venturia  leaf and shoot blight. Additionally the new variety is seedless, its spring new growth is bronze to red in coloration, and it has bright white bark.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

The quaking aspen tree variety of this invention is botanicallyidentified as Populus tremuloides.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

The variety denomination is ‘Dancing Flame’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct seedless plantvariety of Populus tremuloides, more commonly known as Trembling Aspenor Quaking Aspen, having orange to red fall-season leaf coloration, anupright branching habit, and disease resistance to Venturia leaf andshoot blight.

Trembling Aspen is a deciduous tree with extensive distributionthroughout North America. Its adaptation to a variety of soil conditionsand elevations contributes to its broad market appeal and utilizationwhere it is a popular landscape feature. Aspen trees encompass a numberof similar species that are aesthetically appealing for theirfall-season leaf coloration, which typically ranges from yellow to gold.An additional aesthetic feature is the “quaking” sound arising from thewind moving across the flattened petioles. Trembling Aspen are also usedin forest reclamation areas, quickly taking root after fires. At whichtime, they provide habitat while slower growing evergreens repopulate.Trembling Aspen are highly susceptible to Venturia leaf and shootblight.

The new variety, in contrast, demonstrates disease resistance toVenturia leaf and shoot blight. It also differs from the more prevalentcommercially available aspen wherein ‘Dancing Flame’ demonstrates orangeto red fall-season leaf coloration and its new spring growth is bronzeto red in color. This coloration provides a unique aesthetic value tolandscaped areas. Typical of the species, the expected maximum height is25.0 meters, with a lifespan of fifty to sixty years.

‘Dancing Flame’, discovered and asexually propagated by the inventor,was selected from a cultivated nursery field located in Bonners Ferry,Id. in April 2004. Discovered among a field of unsold Populustremuloides and likely a result of open pollination, ‘Dancing Flame’demonstrated a whiter bark, upright form, and leaves that appeareduncharacteristic of the surrounding trees. The specimen was uprooted andreplanted in the inventor's residential yard in Bonners Ferry, where itwas observed for a number of years. ‘Dancing Flame’ maintained itsupright form without any pruning. ‘Dancing Flame’ has a fall-seasoncoloration transitioning from green, to yellow, to orange, and in someyears, red.

In April 2011, after observing the consistent presentation ofcharacteristics that were originally selected for, the inventor planted200 seedlings of Populus tremuloides. Then in August of the same year,the inventor budded all 200 aspen with the buds from the discoveredplant ‘Dancing Flame’. By August 2012, one hundred and sixty of thebudded aspen were four to eight feet (1.2 to 2.4 meters) tall. Furtherto this successful propagation, the inventor budded an additional 300ramjets from the discovered ‘Dancing Flame’. This testing and repeatedpropagation demonstrated that the distinct characteristics herein aretrue to type and transmissible by asexual reproduction with uniformityand stability.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits represent the characteristics of the new variety‘Dancing Flame’. These traits in combination distinguish this varietyfrom all other commercial varieties known to the inventor.

1. Orange to red fall color;

2. Upright branching habit;

3. Disease resistance to Venturia leaf and shoot blight;

4. Spring new growth is bronze to red in coloration;

5. Bright white bark; and

6. The variety is seedless.

Plant Breeder's Rights for this variety have not been applied for and‘Dancing Flame’ has not been offered for sale more than a year beforethe filing date of this application. ‘Dancing Flame’ has not beenpromoted under any other breeder's reference or cultivar name.

Plants of ‘Dancing Flame’ have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental and cultural conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhatwith variations in environmental conditions, for example, withfluctuation in temperature, soil chemistry, and photoperiod without,however, any variance in genotype. The following observations andcharacteristic data disclosed were collected in the Spring of 2014 inBonners Ferry, Id. unless otherwise indicated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH(S)

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall, typicalappearance of the new and distinct aspen tree showing the colors as trueas it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions ofconventional photography. Due to color variation reproduced in thephotographs, color characteristics of this new variety should bedetermined with reference to the observations described herein, ratherthan a reliance on the photographs alone. Photographs are taken over anumber of years and include the originally discovered tree as well asramets at one and two years. The different photographs are intended torepresent the distinctive characteristics of Dancing Flame'.

FIG. 1 (Oct. 2, 2008), demonstrates the red leaf coloration in the Fallfor ‘Dancing Flame’.

FIG. 2 (Oct. 27, 2013), a 2 year-old tree budded from ‘Dancing Flame’demonstrates the upright form and orange to red fall-season coloration.

FIG. 3, is a closer view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 (Oct. 24, 2011), demonstrates orange Fall season color and thebright white bark.

FIG. 5 (Oct. 27, 2013), represents the largest specimens of the treesbudded from ‘Dancing Flame’ (show here at two years-old).

FIG. 6 (Aug. 3, 2013), a one year-old budded plant, demonstrates theleaf size in comparison to an adult human arm.

FIG. 7 (Aug. 3, 2013), a one year-old budded plant, demonstrates theleaf morphology.

FIG. 8 (Jun. 10, 2013), representing two year-old un-pruned plantsbudded from ‘Dancing Flame’, demonstrates their upright branching habit.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new variety ‘DancingFlame’. Data was collected from a plant approximately two years-old andfrom three year-old rootstock in the Spring (April) 2014. The colordeterminations are in accordance with the 2007 edition of The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart published by The Royal HorticulturalSociety (London, England), except where general color terms of ordinarydictionary significance are used and color readings were observed undernatural, outdoor light.

TABLE 1 VARIETY DESCRIPTION Classification:  Family: Salicaceae Botanical: Populus tremuloides  Common: Trembling Aspen Parentage: Parent One: A commercially available, unnamed Populus tremuloides (unpatented)  Parent Two: Unknown Propagation:  Budding and suckerharvest from parent plant Plant:  Height, unpruned (m): 4.22 meters Vigor: Optimal  Shape: Pyramidal to semi-columnar  Growth rate: Rapid(19.05 mm diameter per year) taken from 152.4 mm  from ground  Growthhabit: Upright  Crown width (m): 0.83 meters  Crown height (m): 3.96meters  Crown shape: Semi-columnar  Crown volume (m³): 0.7 m³ Trunk andBranches:  Trunk diameter (cm): 3.81 cm taken at 15.24 cm above theground  Trunk texture: Smooth with powder on bark  Trunk bark color: RHSBlack Group 202D  Tree bark depth (mm): 2 mm  Tree bark furrows: Noneobserved  Branch length (m): 0.89 m (measured from trunk, along upperbranch  surface on a branch located at mid-crown)  Branch texture:Smooth  Branch color: RHS Greyed-Green Group 198A  Branch arrangement:Alternate  Crotch angle from main trunk: 27° Burl: None observedScion/rootstock:  Scion circumference/rootstock circumference ratio:13.5 cm to  16.5 cm (of 3-year-old rootstock)  Height at which scionmeasurement is taken: 4.0 cm from ground  Height at which rootstockmeasurement is taken: 2.5 cm from ground  Bud-union characteristics:Slight wave from rootstock to scion  on the bud union  Suckering: Noneobserved on two-year-old invention plants.  Suckering from roots at yearten, on discovered plant. Leaves:  Size:   a. Length (mm): 62.0 mm  b. Width (mm): 56.0 mm  Type: Simple  Shape: Broadly ovate  Apex:Acute  Base: Obtuse  Margin: Sinuate to Serrate  Cross section: Flat Venation: Each leaf has a central primary vein, which runs to the  apexof the leaf. Secondary veins initiate from the primary vein at a  28degree angle in the apex direction of the leaf, and eventually spreading to other, smaller veins to form a network of netted veins Surface:   a. Upper surface texture: Glabrous, smooth   b. Lowersurface texture: Reticulate netted veins   c. Upper surface color: RHSGreen Group N137A   d. Lower surface color: RHS Green Group 137C Surfacecolor (upper and lower):  Petiole:   a. Shape: Oval and flat on upperand lower surfaces   b. Color: RHS Yellow-Green Group 146B   c. Thorns,Spines: Absent   d. Length (mm): 30.0 mm   e. Width (mm): 1.5 mm Cones:None observed Flowers: None observed  Bud:   a. Shape (both immature andmature): Cone   b. Color:      Immature: RHS Green Group 143A     Mature (before opening): RHS Greyed-Orange 166B   c. Length (mm):     Immature: 9.0 mm      Mature: 12.0 mm   d. Width (mm):     Immature: 3.0 mm      Mature: 4.0 mm  Petal: None observedReproductive Organs: None observed Fruit: None observed Best modegrowing conditions: Soil conditions: Loam with a pH range from 5.0 to7.5 Water use/drought tolerance: Drought tolerant, specimen currentgrowing without irrigation; however, while the tree will grow in hot anddry conditions, it will grow most rapidly with soil moisture Resistanceto disease: Disease resistance to Venturia leaf and shoot blight

COMPARISON TO SIMILAR VARIETIES

Parent One, a commercially available, unpatented and unnamed variety ofPopulus tremuloides, producing seed and presenting branching angles of55 degrees with serrate leaf blade margins. In contrast, ‘Dancing Flame’is seedless, is more upright in form, with a branching angle of 27degrees, and has sinuate to serrate leaf blade margins.

Parent Two is unknown; therefore, no comparison can be made.

The commercially available Populus tremuloides named ‘Driefest’ producesseed, has a silver bark color and a branch angle from the stem at 16degrees. In contrast, ‘Dancing Flame’ is seedless, has white bark colorand a branching angle from stem at 27 degrees.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Populus tremuloides having the characteristics substantially as described and illustrated herein. 